Plastic composition



Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDER M. NASTUKOFF, OF MOSCOW, UNION OF SOCIALIST SOVIET ,REPUBLICS PLASTIC COMPOSIT O No Drawing. Original application filed. larch 21, 1927, Serial K0. 177,217. Divided and this application filed November 1, 1928. Serial No. 316,629.

' qualities of lubricating oils derived from petroleum. I have given a name of Formolite to the solid residue obtained by this reaction.

The formolite, however, as made by this process, was somewhat soft and even viscous, so that its filtration was difficult and often impossible. It contained a more or less large amount of absorbed hydrocarbons, which could not be removed by ordinary processes of filtration and could not be even washed out with liquid solvents such as gasoline. These absorbed hydrocarbons prevented the cohesion between individual particles of formolite so that it could not be compressed or shaped into a solid substance. Such solid substance could not beformed even if binding materials were used as the formolite would not form a union with such substances.

In my new process of treating petroleum oils, as described in the above application, I introduce steam during the process and subject the resultant solid precipitate to the drying process. As a result I obtain, after washing out absorbed saturated hydrocarbons, a new product to which I have given a name of New Formolite to distinguish it from my old formolite. This new product does not contain any absorbed hydrocarbons and it possesses a new and important property that it can be compressed into a solid mass.

In order to obtain the new formolite in such plastic form, crude petroleum oil or petroleum oil derivatives which contain both saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons (for example), is treated with sulphuric acid and formalin and subjected to the action of steam. The solid precipitate is filtered out and dried at an increased temperature. It is then freed from the absorbed hydrocarbons by means of a sutiable solvent, such as gasoline or benzine. The new formolite thus obtained is in the form' of a brown or yellow powder which possesses'a certain amount of plasticity and can be compressed into a hard and solidsubstance, changingb its color durin'g'compression into a deep lack. It also proves to be a suitable material to be added to carbolite or reaction products of phenol in the process of their preparation, improving their ultimate properties and cheapening the production.

' The new formalite can be also mixed with such materials as mineral oil, mineral oil pitch etc., forming compositions which can be cast in molds for making insulating articles for electrical apparatus, also for other industrial purposes.

In the preparation of the newformolite as much as four volumes of sulphuric acid to onevolume of petroleum oil can be used. I have found, however, that when the mixture is treated, with steam,as described above, the amount of sulphuric acid need not be so great and may be reduced to an amount equal to one half of the volume of crude oil. Up to two volumes of formalin can be used to one volume of crude oil, but with the steam treatment the amount of formalin may be reduced to volume of the crude oil.

The steam treatment represents an important phase in this process as it enables the reaction to be carried to the end, thereby obtaining a plastic new formolite. The drying process (preferably at an increased temperature) is also important, as it renders the new formolite susceptible to the subsequent treatment with light hydrocarbon solvents.

The following example illustrates the practical application of my process.

4 volumes of crude oil are mixed with 2 volumes of concentrated sulphuric acid and one volume of formalin is gradually added while vigorously shaking the mixture. The mixture is then heated for one hour at a temperature of 100 degrees centigrade, is diluted with about one volume of water and subjected to the action of steam for another hour or more until all the light hydrocarbons moved by filtering (or by some other suitable process, for instance, by centrifugal apparatus), Washed and neutralized. This precipitate which represents the product of re action oi formalin on unsaturated hydro.- carbons;, in; presencc of acid; contains! also absorbed in its substance saturated hydrocarbons. carbons. tii'eiprecipitate; i after beingk dried at? atemperature of 100105 degrees centigrade 7' is treated with light hydrocarbomsolventsy I vt..

such as gasoline, 1 naphtha or benzine,

' The resultantpurifiedprodilctil'ca1]jNeWl' Formolite.

,T'h sw substance when. compressed into. a

solid; mass, possesses remarkable: dielectric properti sfz' repute-4.93millimeters "thickxre (piires 51 30OJ-voltst fore-a break, down, and; 1 a

- p a efij'funm,thicke efifiwwolts,exceeding;

n-.,thisarespectthehigh;gradeelectricalipor I ceiain;

The. compressed;substancaisg also strong mechanically, an sa b ce r n e r' chinedand-polisheda j Iiclaim;asjmy inyention;.

.v A; process I of v producing I at solid; dielectric body which consists-in addingto ,fdunvolumes ofrpetroleum oilcontaining both;unsa.turta/ced and saturated hydrocarbons; firstat least ,two i v volumes-of concentrated sulfuric acid, and

then LatJeaSteOne ume f formalin, heating;

the; mixturei to. the boiling; point of, Water;

adding Water to the heatedmixture andthen evapcratinglight hydrocarbons-Joy introducing Stea I1, therebyeeriablingtthe reactionto'go;

to completion, then, separating from} the,

liquid; the; resultant; precipitate; Washing, neutralizing andrdryingi he; precipitateeand finally dissoh ing from: the: precipitate, the absorbed saturatedi-hydrocarbonsa In {testim nyi hereofl iaflixv my; signature .1 I

. AL XA ER-Mr In order to remove these hydro 

